Antisagging support for bathtubs



Sept. 26, 1939. w. G. ANDERSON 2,173,995

ANTISAGGING SUPPORT FOR BATHTUBS Filed Feb. 17, 1939 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel means for supporting bath tubs and similar structures against sagging, settling or like displacement; and the invention has reference to a novel antisagging support for such purposes operative to prevent separative displacement of wall impinging portions of a bath tub or the like, thereby to avoid the opening of cracks or crevices between the tub or the like and tile or other wall facing material continguous thereto.

This invention has for an object to provide a novel supporting means to operatively engage the wall contiguous part of a built-in bath-tubor like structure, whereby the latter is restrained against sagging, settling or like displacement which, if not prevented, results in the opening up of cracks, crevices or gaps between the tub or the like and contiguous margins of the adjacent wall facings of plaster, tile, wainscoting or the like.

The invention has for a further object to provide a novel anti-sagging support for bath tubs and the like having novel anchoring means adapted to be attached to and supported directly by the wall studding of the room wherein the bath tub or the like is installed.

The invention has for still another object to provide an anti-sagging support of the kind and for the purposes mentioned which may be adjusted from time to time, as may be required to counteract or take-up any sagging or settling of the tub or the like served thereby; means being provided whereby access to the adjustable parts of the support may be quickly and easily attained, without necessity for disturbing or marring the adjacent wall facing.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View in part section showing a bath set contiguous to a room wall and served by the novel anti-sagging support according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section, drawn on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a transverse section, taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to said drawings, the reference char acter It indicates one of the wall studs or joists of a bath room, tub recess or like place wherein the bath tube I l is installed. The bath tub ii is of the usual construction having a front apron 7 [2 by which its outer side is supported on the floor [3 of the room or other place. At its inner side, along the top thereof, the bath tub is provided with the usual freely projecting horizontal lip or suspension flange l4. When the tub H or the like is set in place, said lip or flange It projects toward and extends transversely across the studs or joists ll] of the wall contiguous to which the tub is set.

Mounted on a wall stud I0 is a hanger box l5,

the interior chamber l6 of which opens outwardly toward the room in which the tub is set. Said hanger box is formed at its rearward portion, contiguous to one perpendicular side thereof, with a perpendicular recess or channel ll of a width corresponding to the width of a wall stud l 0; said recess being bounded by inner and outer side walls l8 and I9 respectively and by a bottom wall 20. Said recess or channel I! indents the rearward portion of the hanger box for a distance less than the depth of the interior chamber of the latter, so that forward open front of said hanger box will project outwardly beyond the face of a wall stud H! to which it is applied,

'for a distance approximating the thickness of the wall forming and facing materials applied across the studding, and so as to be substantially flush with the surface of the finished wall.

The hanger box is applied to a wall stud ill which is located at a point more or less centrally intermediate the end of the tub l I, and in a position on said wall stud disposing the hanger box in suitably spaced relation above the lip or flange I 4 of the tub. When the hanger box is operatively related to a selected wall stud It], the latter is received in the recess or channel I! so as to be embraced on opposite sides by the side walls I?! and l 9 of the latter, and the box is fixed in such mounted relation to the wall stud It! by screws Zl or other suitable fastening means extending through the bottom wall 29 of said recess or channel and into or through the stud body. Owing to its embracing connection with the selected wall stud ill, the hanger box is firmly secured against both vertical displacement and lateral twisting or turning movement, and in such manner that a major portion of the bottom horizontal wall 22 of the box, as thus disposed, is laterally offset from a side of the wall stud l0, and thus opposed to the lip or flange M of the tub II in suitably spaced relation to and above the latter.

7 The reference character 23 indicates a hanger bar or rod; the same having a screw-threaded upper end portion 24 which extends upwardly through an opening provided in the bottom wall 22 of the box i5, and thus into the interior chamber 16 of the latter. Engaged on the interiorly projecting upper end portion 24 of the hanger bar or rod 23 is an anchor nut 25, by which the bar or rod is supported so as to depend from the hanger box, and so as to be subject to such vertical adjustment as circumstances may require.

At its lower free end, said hanger bar or rod 23 is provided with an outwardly projecting lateral extension 28, which terminates in a horizontal transversely extending stirrup bar 27. Said stirrup bar 21 is disposed by the offsetting extension 26 to underlie the lip or flange M of the tub ll, Preferably said stirrup bar 21 is con nected to the hanger bar or rod 23 in T-forming relation thereto, thus providing arms extending in opposite directions relative to the perpendicular axis of the hanger bar or rod 23. At its respective free ends, said stirrup bar 27 is provided with upwardly projecting perpendicular bearing elements or lugs 28, which are adapted to contact the lip or flange Id of the tub H with a spaced two point bearing effect. The provision of said bearing elements or lugs 28 is of advantage in assuring a proper supporting contact of the stirrup bar 21 with the lip or flange of the tub, regardless of any surface irregularities present in the underside face of said lip or flange. When setting the tub and operatively relating the anti-sagging support thereto, the bearing elements or lugs 28 may be selectively filed as required to answer a proper mutual bearing impingement thereof upon the lip or flange of the tub, and so that all play or rocking effect is eliminated.

When the hanger bar or rod structure is in position, the same may be drawn up into proper supporting or carrying relation to the lip or flange M of the tub l I by turning the anchor nut 25 in proper direction.

Wall forming and facing materials of any selected character are applied across the wall studding to extend down to, and generally to termimate in abutting relation to the top surface of the lip or flange M of the tub H. Illustrative of a commonly used wall forming and facing structure, the same is shown in the drawings to comprise suitable lathing, such e. g. as metal lath 30 which is mounted on and across the wall studding, and to which is applied, so as to be supported thereby the plaster scratch coat 3i. Upon the scratch coat 3| is applied the plaster bed coat 32, and to and over said bed coat 32 is applied the wall facing tile 33, all in the customary and Well known manner. The mounted disposition of the hanger box it; is such that its outer open face is disposed flush with the surface of the facing tile 33. The open face of said hanger bax I5 is normally closed by a removable cover plate 8%, which is secured in place by fastening screws 35 adapted to screw into the material of the hanger box, or which may be otherwise detachably secured to hanger box in any suitable manner. Preferably said cover plate 36 is provided with a suitable hand grip means 36 to project outwardly therefrom. This hand grip means 36 not only serves as an aid to the user of the tub in entering and leaving the same, but also serves as a convenient handle for manipulating the cover plate when it is desired to remove the same from the hanger box so as to gain access to the interior thereof for manipulating the anchor nut 25 controlling the hanger bar or rod 23.

It will be obvious, that the novel hanger means will firmly support the tub in resistance to sagging or settling thereof with tendency to open up undesirable cracks, gaps or crevices between the lip or flange I4 thereof and the wall forming and facing structure which abuts the same. A marked advantage of the novel hanger means of this invention lies in the fact that it is adjustable, so that should any sagging or settlement of the tub occur with consequent opening up of cracks or crevices, the condition may be quickly and easily cured, without risk to the wall structure or its facing and without necessity for mutilating, marring or patching such Wall structure. In the event of any sagging or settlement occurring, all that is required to be done to cure the same is to remove the hanger box cover so as to obtain access to the anchoring and adjusting nut 25 which sustains the hanger bar or rod 23. By turning this nut 25 said hanger bar or rod 23 may be drawn upwardly, to in turn draw up the tub H into snug abutting relation to the wall forming and facing structure, thus correcting any sagging or settlement of the tub which may have occurred, while at the same time closing up any resultant cracks, gaps or crevices between the lip or flange M of the tub and the contiguous margins of said wall forming and facing structure.

It will thus be obvious that not only does the instant invention provide a very simple and efflcient means for supporting the wall abutting side of a bath tub or the like in resistance to settlement and sagging of said tub, but also a novel adjustable arrangement and construction of such supporting means adapted to be easily and quickly accessible and manipulatable for taking up any sagging or settlement of the tube which may occur.

It will be noted that the bottom horizontal wall of the hanger box is provided with an opening 29 through which the hanger bar or rod may pass. If desired the top horizontal wall of said hanger box may also be provided with a corresponding opening 29, thus rendering the box reversible, so that it may be selectively mounted on a wall stud H to project laterally from either the left or right hand side thereof, as may in any given case be most convenient, or best adapted to dispose the hanger bar or rod most nearly central between the tub ends, where a single hanger is employed.

It will be understood that whereas, in most cases, but one hanger means is required, if desired a plurality of such hanger means may be utilized to engage different points of the tub lip or flange.

While I have described the use of the hanger box and. hanger means dependent therefrom as mounted on a stud forming part of a wall of frame building structure type, it will be obvious that the hanger box and hanger means can equally well be mounted in connection with brick or masonry walls by recessing the latter for the reception of the hanger box, and providing a clearance channel therein for the hanger element.

I am aware that various changes may be made in the above described constructions and that many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof; it is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limit- 111g sense.

I claim:

1. In a support for the purposes described, an outwardly open hanger box adapted to be recessed into and afiixed to a wall structure contiguous to a bath tub with its open side exposed substantially flush with the exterior surface of the wall forming and facing structure, a detachable cover for closing the open side of said hanger box, a hanger element dependent from said hanger box, means within said hanger box for adjustably anchoring said hanger element thereto, and said hanger element having means at its lower free end portion to supportingly bear against the underside of a marginal flange of the tub.

2. In a support for the purposes described, an outwardly open hanger box adapted to be recessed into and afiixed to a Wall structure contiguous to a bath tub with its open side exposed substantially flush with the exterior surface of the wall forming and facing structure, a detachable cover for closing the open side of said hanger box, a hanger element dependent from said hanger box, means within said hanger box for adjustably anchoring said hanger element thereto, a transverse stirrup bar affixed in oifset relation to the lower free end portion of said hanger element, and said stirrup bar having spaced upwardly projecting bearing lugs adapted. to supportingly bear against the underside of a marginal flange of the tub.

3. In a support for the purposes described, an outwardly open hanger box adapted to be afiixed to a stud of a Wall contiguous to a bath tub with its open side exposed substantially flush with the exterior surface of the wall forming and facing structure, said hanger box having in its rear portion a perpendicular recessed portion to receive and embrace said wall stud, a detachable cover for closing the open side of said hanger box, a hanger element dependent from said hanger box, means within said hanger box for adjustably anchoring said hanger element thereto, and said hanger element having means at its lower free end portion to supportingly bear against the underside of a marginalflange of the tub.

4. In a support for the purposes described, a hanger anchoring means adapted to be affixed to a stud of a wall contiguous to a bath tub, a vertically adjustable hanger element dependent from said anchoring means, a transverse stirrup bar affixed in ofiset relation to the lower free end portion of said hanger element, and said stirrup bar having spaced upwardly projecting bearing lugs adapted to supportingly bear against the underside of a marginal flange of the tub.

WILLIAM G. ANDERSON. 

